1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for breaking of brittle material and, more specifically, to an apparatus adapted to break semiconductor wafers along scribe lines scribed on the semiconductor wafers.
2. Description of Related Art
Various equipments are requisite in a foundry during the fabrication of semiconductor wafers. In order to improve the precision and reduce the production of micro particles, apparatus for scribing and/or breaking semiconductor wafers must be maintained clean.
When breaking a semiconductor wafer according to a conventional manufacturing process, the semiconductor wafer is adhered to a thin film and then scribed with transverse and longitudinal scribe lines on the surface, and then the scribed semiconductor wafer is put on the wafer breaking apparatus, and then the breaking-cutter of the wafer breaking apparatus is lifted to break the semiconductor wafer at one of the scribe lines, and then the semiconductor wafer is shifted to a predetermined distance for enabling the breaking-cutter to break the semiconductor wafer at a second scribe line. This breaking action is repeated again and again to complete breaking of the semiconductor wafer.
During the aforesaid conventional semiconductor wafer breaking operation, the semiconductor wafer is directly carried on and maintained in contact with the semiconductor wafer breaking apparatus. When shifting the semiconductor wafer, friction is produced between the bottom surface of the thin film at the semiconductor wafer and the top side of the semiconductor wafer breaking apparatus. This friction increases the risk of scratching damage to the semiconductor wafer and the possibility of the production of static electricity or micro particles, affecting the semiconductor wafer breaking quality. U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,006, entitled “Apparatus for scribing and/or breaking semiconductor wafers” is an example of the aforesaid prior art design.